Volunteer Fire Department asks for donations to keep fire truck

The Chalk Bluff Volunteer Fire Department is collecting funds to help them save its newest fire truck.

In 2004, they bought a new pumper truck to replace the existing one that was more than 25 years old, which was getting expensive to keep running, according to CBVF.

According to Fire Chief Mike Meadors, initially they were using revenue from a rescue school to pay for the pumper truck.

"When the economy started to slow down, fire departments saw their budgets cut so we saw less and less participation in that rescue school. Eventually we had to cancel it for lack of participation and that's when we got behind," Meadors.

He said the department requested donations in 2012 but it didn't receive as much support due to the state of the economy.

Meadors said the department is behind five years and it needs to pay $115,000 by the end of next week.

"It's important to donate not only to keep this truck so we can keep the fire department operating because the donations we receive from the community is what let's us operate," Meadors said.

The fire department set up a GoFundMe page to help them keep the truck. However, if it can't raise those funds, it plans to use a back up truck and use the donations to get a used fire truck in good condition.

"Things will be business as usual. We will still be relying on the surrounding departments like we always have," Meadors said.

Lacy Lakeview and Elm Mott Fire usually help Chalk Bluff, if they need assistance.

For Chalk Bluff Resident Duane Hoxworth, it is important to help a fire department that helped his family in a time of need. It rescued him and his wife when a car hit their vehicle head on in 2005.

"Very appreciate because they knew what to do. They knew how to get the doors off and carefully take us out with our injuries were pretty severe," Hoxworth said.

The community has reached out to Congressman Bill Flores. His office said it is working on its behalf to see if it can reach a satisfactory outcome that is beneficial to the community and taxpayer.